Surprise Visitor
by Ringhuiniele
Summary: The story takes place after the Siren Song episode. Everything has returned to its relative calmness within the household. Piper's morning sickness has somehow disappeared, momentarily;Leo is helping around, Paige busy is perfecting her potion making


Disclaimer: All original characters appearing in the story belong to Spelling Productions except for unfamiliar name(s) that I have created here and in the next stories to come. No copyright infringement was intended in making the story. I get no money from it. This was made purely for enjoyment. Likewise, I apologized for any inconsistencies.  
  
Summary: The story sets in just a few days after the Halliwell sisters vanquished the siren (from the episode Siren Song). Everything has returned to its relative calmness within the household. Piper's morning sickness has somehow disappeared, momentarily; Leo is helping around in the house, Paige still busy perfecting her potion making while Phoebe has her 'dreams' to contend with.  
  
~~**~~  
  
Surprise Visitor  
  
Circe Turner glanced up from the paper with the scribbled address of the Halliwell's. She looked approvingly at the Victorian house situated from across the street. The taxi driver had let her off a corner away just as she instructed and decided to walk the remainder of the way to the house. It was a beautiful late Friday morning and taking the brief stroll invigorated her. The wind was crisp despite the sun shining over the block. Rain clouds must have already unburdened themselves in the other parts of the town. She fixed her short cream blazer from a crease while glancing down at her watch. She wasn't due to being back at the office in an hour.  
  
She crossed the street and stopped in front of the door to knock. She heard voices in the house but it was too far inside to discern what was actually said. Soon, a sound of clogs clicking against the wooden floor was heard traveling towards the entranceway.  
  
The stained glass door opened next, revealing a tousled- hair Paige to greet the visitor. She blew away a strand from her face when it didn't work; she tucked it behind her ear.  
  
Paige Matthews, the youngest of the Halliwel sisters gasped in surprise, as she couldn't believe whom was standing in front of her.  
  
"Circe!" She exclaimed as she hugged the much younger girl.  
  
"Hi, Paige." The girl giggled as she returned the embrace of her friend.  
  
"How did you find me?" She asked. She felt a tinged of guilt when she recalled how she promised Circe that she would keep in touch. The other girl doesn't seem to be offended by the infrequent correspondence though as she let the other girl into the threshold.  
  
Piper and her husband came walking into the hallway towards them.  
  
"It's so good to see you." Paige enthused as she hugged her again. She really missed her.  
  
Circe laughed. "Your former boss gave me your address." She said as held a piece of paper up. This made Paige a little embarrassed but the Circe didn't mind it all.  
  
"Guys," Paige started as she faced her sister and Leo, gesturing them to hurry up.  
  
"I like you to meet my favorite case work, Circe Turner." Paige introduced the younger girl to her family.  
  
"I can't believe you actually introduced me as one of your previous case files." Circe remarked, humorously.  
  
"Well, its true. You were my favorite." Paige said a little defensively but was chuckling.  
  
Obviously, Piper noted as she watched Paige and Circe that there was some inside joke that the two shared which made Piper curious. She made a mental note to ask Paige sometime about it. She also detected immediately a deeper history passing between the two.  
  
"Hi there, I'm Piper, Paige's sister." Piper introduced, smiling as she foregoes with the shaking of hands and directly hugs the girl.  
  
Circe smiled and absent-mindedly lingered in Piper's embrace than one supposed to which the older woman noticed. She realized her 'lapse' and withdrew quickly. Circe then turned to the man standing beside her.  
  
"My husband, Leo." Piper introduced as Circe shook hands with Leo.  
  
The man smiled at her with serene calmness that startled her. Circe turned to Paige.  
  
"I didn't know you have a sister." She remarked as she shot Paige a puzzled look. "No, offense meant." Circe quickly added when she turned back to Piper.  
  
Piper smiled and took it all in stride. "None taken." She replied and led everyone to the living room. She surmised that Circe and Paige met before the latter became a part of the Halliwel family.  
  
"It's a very long story." Paige remarked as she stressed the fourth word.  
  
Circe only nodded as she sniffed the air along the way. "Who's been experimenting?" She asked.  
  
Piper gave a wry smile at Paige.  
  
"OH!" Paige exclaimed and ducked quickly into the kitchen. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable and I'll get us some refreshments." She said from the kitchen.  
  
"I'll help," Circe volunteered.  
  
"Nah, you sit." Paige called. "I'll be back in the jiffy." She hastily began putting the pans into the sink and fixed the unintentional mess she had produced an hour earlier.  
  
"How did you meet Paige?" Piper asked as she sat beside her husband, Leo. "You met her from work?"  
  
"You could say that." She replied, sheepishly. "Six years ago, I was a victim of a hit and run incident. When I have recovered from the accident, the hospital administration forwarded me to the Social Services Center and I ended up at Paige's desk, so to speak."  
  
"From there," Paige picked up the story, carrying the tray full of glasses and pitcher of juice. Leo stood up immediately to help her and set the tray on the low table.  
  
"I tried looking for her last foster family and informed them that we have her in our custody." Paige said as she sat beside Circe.  
  
"Unfortunately, there were a lot of snags. The last family no longer was interested in taking her in and Circe," pointedly looking at the girl, "didn't like going back."  
  
"I didn't want to stay in Philadelphia." She muttered as she stared in space for a short while before glancing back at the couple sitting across her.  
  
Piper gasped. "How did you manage to reach California?" Surprise in her voice. " Don't tell me," pausing. " You hitched hike."  
  
Circe nodded mutely. Paige affirmed. "Yup and she was very adamant long ago of not returning to Philadelphia." She recalled. "For the next few weeks that followed, I began setting up foster family possibilities while temporarily taking her in. I know it wasn't company policy to do so but somehow I knew she was going to be worth it." She told everyone.  
  
Circe laughed again. "Thanks for the self-esteem bolster." She added.  
  
"Any time." Paige replied as she passed a glass to her friend.  
  
Piper and Leo smiled at the care Paige had demonstrated in her work. The nurturing trait of being a half White lighter proved in good stead in taking Circe in.  
  
"I hope I didn't cramp your style." Circe joked.  
  
Paige raised an elegant brow as she looked at the girl wearing a very stylish business cut attire.  
  
"Well, you were sensible enough to make yourself scarce whenever I had a date." Paige replied.  
  
"It took a lot of convincing on my part that she wouldn't do all the craziness she did previously." Paige related going back to the story. "From all accounts, Circe had a penchant of getting herself in trouble."  
  
"I was quite a rebel." Circe continued as she faced Leo and Piper. "I didn't quite sit well with rules." She told them, embarrassed.  
  
Paige draped a comforting arm around her friend. "But she pulled through and I'm glad." Paige beamed.  
  
Leo and Piper could see how proud Paige was of Circe. It made them very happy too. It was rare for the sister to show them how she enjoyed her work.  
  
"Because you were the first social worker who really cared for me. I knew I had to get serious or I could just end up in the gutter." Circe leaned out for a refill.  
  
"Paige found a family that would adopt me -the Mackenzie from Florida. They were good folks and took care of me since then. I got a degree in Legal Management and moved here for almost a year now." Circe furnished.  
  
"Why didn't you look me up earlier?" Paige asked as she took a sip from her glass.  
  
"I was little busy and was bouncing from one job after another and it was only a few months ago that I found where I belong." Circe said, contented.  
  
"I'm working at Abbott's Law Firm." She supplied and was distracted by the beep from her mobile phone. She only turned her head to where her purse lay but didn't attempt in reaching for it.  
  
"It pays well even for a junior worker." She placed her empty glass on the tray. "My bosses are kind, so it's good. I hope that I'll be able to stay on and work with them in the future."  
  
"Those are good aspirations." Leo affirmed.  
  
"Thanks." Circe turned to face Paige. "That was the office. I must be going."  
  
"You psychic?" Paige commented in a joking manner.  
  
"Oh, no." Circe said, wagging her head. "I assigned different tones to my mobile phone." She rose to leave.  
  
"We got have lunch together sometime?" Circe suggested, smiling. Paige could almost see that she was begging in her eyes.  
  
"I would love that." Paige told her. "How about tomorrow?"  
  
"Great. I'm free tomorrow." Circe answered and immediately the two friends swapped mobile numbers. Paige soon returned to the living room with a smile painted on her face.  
  
"I'm really happy that she came out fine after what she went through." Paige commented as she stared through their living room window. She closed her eyes to let the sun warm her cheeks.  
  
"It feels so gratifying." Paige said wistfully.  
  
Leo steps forward joined by his wife. "You can always go back, Paige."  
  
The other woman faces them. "I know." She answered, still smiling with content. " But I want to learn how to be a good potion maker." She said with conviction.  
  
Piper gives her sister a hug. "Well, then its back to work for you."  
  
Paige happily lets her sister pushed her out of the living room before actually walking away from them. Piper stayed for a bit so she could have some brief moments with Leo. "I hope she chooses where she heart tells her to be." She said in his arms.  
  
"I hope so too." Leo said as he plants a kiss on his wife's forehead and he looks on Paige who was heading back to the kitchen.  
  
THE END 


End file.
